Children's author Bill Forde hopes Bradford schools will follow his lead in helping to stamp out racism and build a better community following recent riots in the city.

Mr Forde, of Nettleton Road, Mirfield, is currently involved in a scheme to twin West Yorkshire schools with schools in Trelawny, Jamaica, which will enable pupils from both countries to forge worldwide penpals.

He came up with the school-twinning idea after writing a book for the children of Trelawny whom he met while on holiday there in July 2000.

"I visited a number of schools and was impressed by the eagerness to learn by the primary school children in the most difficult material circumstances," said Mr Forde.

"Seven or eight children share one text book, they were scratting around for bits of paper and the classroom floor was the ground," said Mr Forde.

During the trip he was asked by the Custos (Mayor) of Falmouth, the capital of Trelawny, if he could do something for the schoolchildren there and he agreed to write a book for them.

'One World One Heart' - taken from the lyrics of a Bob Marley song - was published soon after.

The book, which recognises the contribution which different cultures have made to British society, was sponsored by West Yorkshire schools and Mr Forde had the idea to put pupils from those schools in touch with the children of Trelawny.

"I am doing it on a trans-cultural, across-the-globe basis but there is no reason why it can't be done on an inter-regional basis in Yorkshire," said Mr Forde.

"My project will not change the world, but I am confident enough in my own beliefs to know that it is at least one small step in the right direction."